Who I Am When I'm With You
by Softrock-showtunesgirlscout22
Summary: When Rick Rodgers met Kate Beckett at a young age, he knew right then and there she was going to be the girl he was going to spend the rest of his life with. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Who I Am When I'm With You**

 **But who I am with you is who I really wanna be. You're so good for me. And when I'm holdin' you, it feels like I've got the world in my hands. Yeah, a better man is who I am with you. Rick Castle met Kate Beckett at a young age. And it was right then and there he knew she was going to be the girl he was going to spend the rest of his life with.**

 **Chapter one: summer**

Kate had just moved to New York. She watched as her brothers brushed passed her towards the car. It was the first day of school. She was off to seventh grade and the prospect of starting such a poignant moment of her life in a new school terrified her.

"Katie?" Her father asked. He had the back door opened for her, he offered to take her bag. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah Kate, do you want to cry?" Her 14 year old brother asked.

"Chris…" Jim sighed. "It's a big change for everyone, and we are all entitled to process it anyway we want to, don't pick on your sister." Chris rolled his eyes.

Her brother was such a jerk. Sometimes.

"Don't worry Katie, I'm sure we'll make friends in no time, right daddy?" Her little brother said with a toothy grin.

"Right. See, at least someone is happy." Jim told Chris.

"Dad, he's Kyle. He's always happy." the older boy pushed his little's brother forehead backwards from the front seat.

"And would it kill you to be more like your brother?" Joanna Beckett came out of the house with lunches for her children.

"Why am I the only one being told off? The princess isn't here yet and we're going to be late to our first day of school."

Oh yeah. Her older sister was 17 and a total diva. She had been the one complaining about moving the most, although Kate tied her on a close second. Just then Julia made it out the door. She was all dolled up. Something her father did not approve of. He shared a knowing look with his wife and opened the door for Julia, she pushed Kate aside as she tried to fit her enormous pink bag into the small space of her seat.

"We'll talk about it when you get home today Julia, don't think you are off the hook." Joanna told her daughter. She waved her kids goodbye, sharing a hand wave with Kyle as they went. Kate curled up in her seat between her siblings and thought about what the kids in her school would be like.

She hoped no one would notice her. She was shy, pretty much a mind to her own device and she didn't have that many friends. Her friends were books and the characters she found in them. She had fallen too far from the tree compared to her elder athletic siblings and her outgoing little brother.

What was it that New York had in store for Kate? Only time would tell.

* * *

"Rick!" He woke up at the sound of a voice calling his name. "Rick!"

"Huh?" He opened his eyes wide, the light hurting them, the image of his little sister came into his line of vision. "Mom says breakfast is ready!"

His mother made breakfast? No, that wasn't possible. It must have been…

"I'm up, I'm up. " He groaned rolling out of bed as his sister bolted into a run. How was it possible summer was over?

"You better be getting ready already young man." Rick rolled his eyes at the woman in front of him. Sally smiled. "Or that bed will remain unmade for a week and this time I mean it."

"Mother wouldn't let you." Rick scuffed.

"Your mother will be going on tour soon, and she won't even know." The older woman said with a smile.

"Tell me again why I let you threaten me?" He asked Sally as he put on a clean shirt and pants.

"Because I changed your diapers."

Well, she did have a point. But Rick wasn't little anymore. He was 14 and had grown so much over this past summer, his hair was messy and his eyes tired. He shouldn't have stayed playing video games all night with Espo and Ethan, he was about to regret it.

"Good morning Richard." Martha said, she was reading the paper as she took a bite of her toast. "Today is a very exciting day, you're off to 9th grade. How are you feeling?"

"Ecstatic." Rick rolled his eyes at her but a small smile appeared to curve on his lips.

"Well, I for one can't wait to go to first grade, kiddie school is so beyond me." His sister took a dramatic sigh.

"Sorry, but.. have you measured yourself, everyone is above you." He joked, earning a nasty look from his sister. "Plus, first grade is kid's play."

"Duh, I'm a kid." She retorted. "So? It's perfect for me. You on the other hand..."

"Watch your mouth there shorty," Rick told her off. "You better think very carefully about what you're about to say."

"All I'm saying is that you're too much of a boy." Hannah smiled eyeing her mother "Have you heard mama's going on tour? How exciting is that?"

"So I've heard. For how long?"

"About 8 weeks, we're going all across the country." Martha said. "I would have taken you with me but Sally insisted you both be in school more this year, it will be important when you apply for college."

"Who says I'm going?" Rick said quickly.

"You better not have me hear that Richard, it's your future. You'll be brilliant if you put your mind to it."

"Yeah, what about the stories Rick? All my friends at school like your stories, you should do that and become like the lady who wrote Harry Potter."

Richard Rodgers Rowling? It had a nice ring to it. But who was he kidding? He'd never be that good.

"Come on you two, off to the bus. You'll be late." Sally said. "And don't even think about not taking a bite of that toast." She warned Rick. He rolled his eyes, got a hold of his toast and school bag.

"Now where is my kiss?" Martha made Hannah smile as she kissed her goodbye. Rick imitated his sister. "You be good while I'm gone?

"Of course, I'm always the good one, Mom." She eyed her brother. "I'll take care of Rick."

"Yes you will." Martha hugged her little girl again. "Have a good first day sweetheart." Martha turned to the boy hugging him. "I want you to know, I'm counting on you, if this goes well, then I'll have my career set up for a long while. " Rick smiled and nodded. Where had he head that one before?

"Come on Rick!" Hannah called from the door. "Hurry up!"

"Why are you always yelling?" He said trailing behind her.

"Cause you don't listen to me." His sister said.

Rick sighed taking his sister's hand.

How was it possible summer was already over?

* * *

 _ **Baby Caskett! Next, they meet. Don't worry, I won't abandon my other stories, all of them will be updated during the weekend.**_

 _ **Send a review my way?**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Who I Am When I'm With You**

 **Chapter Two: Meetings**

"Have a good day munchkin. Learn something." He said sweetly as they reached her class. "And then maybe you can beat me at Scrabble."

"Duh, I learned to read when I was 3, remember?" He laughed. "Of course I will."

"Sureeee." He joked.

"You better not get in trouble." She warned. He rolled his eyes.

"I won't..."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." She smiled. He leaned to put on her backpack. "You all set."

He remained quiet. "It'll be okay Rick." She told him.

"Oh no doubt about it." She sighed.

"I'm going in now..."

Rick laughed touching her nose softly."Go. Be smart."

No smart comeback? Oh man was he going to cry?

Rick had to admit his little sister was braver than him. She had started first grade with nothing more than a quick hug and wave from the door. His had been a different experience. His mother and Sally had accompanied him and he was a puddle of tears before they left. "Richard Rodgers." A familiar voice said behind him. "Are my eyes deceiving me?"

"Mrs. Monroe." He turned to face her. An older Mrs. Monroe. Sure, he'd seen her around but Hannah's classes where in a different building so he'd hadn't really stood there in a long while.

"You grew tall." She said with a warm smile.

"I did. Nice of you to notice." He smiled. "Ate all my vegetables..." She looked at him warmly.

"How is your mother?"

"She's good. Still fighting her way to the lights of Broadway." He didn't know why that admission had slipped his mouth, specially now, but Mrs. Monroe actually knew Martha. She was a dreamer. A good mother, she'd do anything for her children, but a dreamer nonetheless.

"I see." Mrs. Monroe told him in all seriousness. "It's good you're taking care of your sister. I have always known you to be a very good boy Richard."

"Rick." He said. "I go by Rick now. Only my mother calls me Richard."

"Of course. You need to stay current, don't you?" Rick gazed at her. "It's really good to see you Rick." He saw only kindness in the woman's eyes. "You should really go to class."

"Oh yeah." He huffed. "I should." He smiled.

Well, that was the start of a very weird first day.

In 9th grade. It had only hit him he was closer to leaving school by the second. Grow up and move out. He walked towards class, completely on his own world as he thought about what would happen this year.

"Rick!" Espo caught his eyes. "Dude, where have you been?" Javi had been his best friend since kiddie school. Mrs. Monroe herself had seen them and Ethan cause trouble wherever they went. Javi's life was a very complicated one , way more than Rick's.

His dad wasn't in the picture either. His mother struggled to take of him as she couldn't her job, he had no Sally though, so she'd care for him too. She took no crap from anyone. Not even Javi and that amused Rick the most. It was a staredown almost when she and Javi would go head to head.

His best friend was in the loosing side. No one could beat Sally.

"Hey." He waved at him. "I had to take Hannah to her class."

"Oh man, where there tears?"

"Yes, mine." He joked. "I saw Mrs. Monroe though." Javi seemed lost for a moment. "Remember our first grade teacher? Her son is meant to be in our class."

"Oh, yeah. Did she check you out?"

"You heard what I just said about her being our first grade teacher and the fact that Stevie is in our class, right?"

"So?"

"Forget it." Javi could sense something was bothering him. "Let's just get to class." He was thankful he had not gone any further. He was not going to tell him about Martha being gone. Not right now anyway.

* * *

"Katie?" Kyle asked as they walked hand in hand to class. "Do you think they'll like me?"

Oh, sweet Kyle. "Of course. You'll be the coolest kid in there." She tried.

"No I won't." He laughed. Kate bit her lip. "It's just so big."

"Well, think of it this way, they'll be more kids in there than there ever were at home." She told him.

"Okay." He let it go at that. "But, do you think they'll be nice?"

"I hope so, why wouldn't they be?" She told him. Kyle shrugged.

"Katie?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't mom take me to class?" He asked. "She always has. Is she too busy?"

Oh.

"I'm sure once we've settled, she'll be able to buddy, it's just been crazy with us moving." She said sweetly.

"Yeah I guess. Maybe I can pretend tomorrow is my first day again so when she comes she'll be here to wish me a good first day."

That kid was too smart for his own good.

"But I don't want you to feel bad, you taking me is okay too." He told her quickly.

"Well, thank you. I'm actually flattered." She gazed down at him. "I think we're here."

"Oh hello, how can I help you?" A woman asked kindly. "First day I presume?" Kate smiled. "You seem a bit to tall for first grade."

"This is Kyle." Beckett said glancing at the six year old. "He'll be going in."

"Yes, Katie already went to first grade. She's over with the big kids." Kyle informed the woman with a charming smile.

"Oh is she now?" The woman said examining her for a second. "She better get going then, she'll be late if she doesn't hurry." Kyle glanced at his sister.

"I guess this is goodbye." He sighed. His face fell a bit. Kate knelt to his level. She could see the woman was staring. "You make a lot of friends too, okay?"

"Hey, it will be a great first day, I promise." She shot him a smile. "Come here."

"Kyle!" A familiar voice said. "Oh, I almost missed it!"

"Mommy!" His face lighted up as Joanna made her way to them. "I thought you had work?"

"Well I did, but school is just on the way so I thought I'd surprise you guys." She picked the little boy up.

He bit his lip which made Kate smile . "Why didn't you take us to school?"

"Why does it matter?" Kate told him. "She's here now."

"Of course. I wasn't going to miss my babies first day at a new school." Kate rolled her eyes at her.

"I'm sorry, but the children really need to be going in now." The woman at the door touched Joanna's shoulder. "Mrs. Beckett I presume?"

"Yes. Joanna Beckett." She shook her free hand with her. "She's right you two, I'm keeping you, go and have a great first day. I love you."

"I love you too mommy." Kyle hugged her tightly. "I'll be good for sure."

"Of course you will and you better tell me all about it!" She kissed his cheek as she put him down. "Go on baby, Katie will be here to pick you up later, alright?"

"Okay. Bye mommy, bye Katie..." Kyle walked towards the door with a smile on his face.

Her brother, the ever optimistic. Her on the other hand.

"And you too honey."Joanna said. "You have to promise me you'll learn a lot okay. Learning is important."

"Mom..."

"What? Are you too embarrassed?" She joked. Kate smiled. "You are almost a teenager, you have to let me enjoy these last few months." They both laughed.

"I'll never be as bad as Julia..."

Joanna rolled her eyes.

Thankfully her mother didn't walk her to school. She just held her for a few moments more and kissed her cheek.

Now Kate Beckett was on her own, adventuring in some foreign territory known as Hamilton Middle School.

And now with thanks to some regained faith from her mom's surprise visit she was going to get ready to face what life might throw at her.

Almost. Anything.

* * *

It had all happened too fast, she didn't know how she had ended on the ground. So much for a great first day. She had already almost been knocked unconscious.

"Are you alright?" Someone asked. She felt a hand been extended her way. Her head pounding. "Are you bleeding?" He pulled her easily. He smiled softly. Oh man.

"No..." Her vision became clear now. A tall boy, dark brown hair. Blue eyes. So blue. "I don't think so..."

"Ethan you stupid!" Someone yelled. "Now we really gong to get it, and on our first day..."

"I didn't do nothing. She was on the way of my game." She could listen to them arguing. But all she could see was that boy.

"What's going on here?" A voice bellowed. "I should've known it was you three."

She saw the other two boys freeze, but the other one was still holding her. "Are you alright?"

Someone was talking to her she realized. "Miss?"

"Yes. I think. I'm fine."She said with a weak smile. "Thank you."

"Are you sure? I could take you to the enfermery. I'll take her Mr. Carlisle."

"Yes, better make sure. Thank you Rodgers." Rodgers? That must be his last name. "Just for that, you might not be in so much trouble as your friends here. Go on, I'll inform your teacher and Miss's..."

"Beckett. Kate. I'm..."

"Seventh grade. Yes. You come from New Jersey..." Kate looked at the boy still holding her. He shrugged. "Go on you two, don't delay."

"But..." Kate heard the other two boys say as she walked on the other direction.

"Are you sure nothing hurts?" The boy asked after a moment. "It was quite the fall..."

"Maybe just my pride..." He smiled, He had such a nice smile. "And my head a bit."

"I can carry you if you want..."

 _Yes please. Wait... what?_

"I can walk...I've told you..."

"Kate, right?" He said. "I just don't want you to overdue yourself. Head injuries are serious."

She laughed. She actually laughed and he looked at her, almost letting her go completely.

"Sorry..."

"What was that for?" He asked rising an eyebrow. "Maybe you're starting to lose your senses..."

"My senses are fine. I just..." Kate was losing and she knew it.

 _I'm nervous. There's a boy here holding me. Offering to carry me._

"What's your name anyway?" She asked suddenly.

He smiled again. "I'm Rick..."

"Kate..." _Oh stupid_

"So I heard. Nice to meet you Kate." He offered her a smile. And she smiled back. He put his free hand forward. She shook it,

What was this thing that she was feeling? It seemed as if something had suddenly clicked and...

She must have had hit her head real bad. Because she was actually starting to like someone in New York. A boy named Rick, who was probably her brother's age and he'd never take any interest in her.

* * *

 **What did you guys think? I really liked how this one turned out! Thank you so much for everyone supporting the story! We still have a long road ahead of us.**

 **As always, mistakes are mine and reviews are love...**

 **See you soon!**


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